1.
Growth and Development
Strategy and Tactics for Growth

2.
Growth and Development
We CAN Grow - We MUST Grow
Growth is a good thing…
• For the sport
• For the SSA
• For competition
• For clubs
• For commercial operators
To be politically significant, we
need at least 50,000 members

3.

SSA membership: 12,000 ( FAA: 28,896 glider pilots)
− 195 member organizations

Instructors: 200 active (est.)
− (FAA: ~2500 CFI-G certificate holders)

2-Seat gliders: 369
− (200 considered “trainers”)

Tow Planes: 206
− 119 Pawnees, 21 Cubs, 41 Cessna's, 25 other
Growth and Development
Who we are: Some numbers

4.
Who we are: Training Capacity
~1200 students at any one time
− Currently ~ 50% capacity
Assumptions:
− 200 trainers, 200 tugs, 200 instructors
− Club operates ~75 days a year
− Commercial operation ~300 days a year
− Average student needs six calendar months and 60+ flights to a PP-G
− Half of the students who start training will drop out
Growth and Development

5.
Potential for Growth
US Census:
− 200 million aged 14 – 60
− 200,000 with “Glider Gene”
− These are “low hanging fruit”
Assumptions:
− 1 in 1000 carry “GG”
− Predisposed to hear message
− Will obsessively pursue soaring if properly introduced to the sport
Growth and Development

6.
Growth and Development
Strategy: Raise Awareness
Rolling Billboards: Trailer graphics

7.
Strategy: Raise Awareness
Television: PBS Cloudstreet
“Soaring the American West”
An adventure documentary
− To be produced by KNME
Albuquerque.
− Looking for $145,000 in
additional funding
Growth and Development

8.

WGC - professional promotion firm retained

Print ads
− More...

Bumper stickers

Social media FaceBook
More…
Growth and Development
Strategy: Raise Awareness

9.
Growth and Development
Strategy: Inform
LetsGoGliding.com
Purely promotional
Buttons on right side
− More info
− Where to Fly
− Become a glider pilot
− FAST!

10.
 Identify our best “recruiters”
− Recognize them
 Soaring Magazine
− Reward them
 Contest rides
− John Good
− Karl Striedieck
− Others?
Growth and Development
Strategy: Recognize & Reward

11.
“Where-to-Fly” Database
LGG web page click-through
It's our “Yellow Pages” where they select a
soaring operation near them
Growth and Development
Strategy: Route
When they click on a soaring site,
it’s up to that site to run with the ball.

12.
Growth and Development
Tactic: Do your part
But if they fumble…

13.
 “You are your web page”
− Some are excellent. Others, not so much.
Growth and Development
Tactic: Update your web site

14.

2009 - 50% of clubs unreachable
− Number not working
− Phone rings

No answer

Machine - no call back

Angry ex-member says, “Those guys are bums”
− 50% of e-mails never answered
Growth and Development
Tactic: Answer the Phone! (e-mail too)

15.
Some will click on Google
Maps, enter your GPS
location in their PNA and
drive to that exact spot.
 You'll yell at them
 Airport Manager yells at
you
 The wannabe glider pilot
gets chased off
 Nobody will have a clue
what happened
Growth and Development
Tactic: GPS Coordinates

16.
 If they do manage to find you...
− Do you have a welcoming plan?
 Or will they be ignored?
Growth and Development
Tactic: Welcome Visitors
Do you have useful signs?
− Show them where to go
− Keep them safe?

17.
 If they make contact, they're interested but...
 Unknown and scary territory
 What kind of people fly gliders?
 Will I seem stupid?
 Is it dangerous?
 What friends think?
Growth and Development
Tactic: Know Your Prospect

18.
Growth and Development
Tactic: Upgrade Facilities
They expected this
?
But found........

19.
$115,000 Perkoz in 2010 = $8,000 L-13 in 1963
$125,000 ASK-21 in 2010 = $9,870 2-33 in 1966
Prime interest rate
Euro-Dollar exchange rate
Growth and Development
Tactic: Upgrade trainer Fleet
New trainers bring instructors our of hibernation

20.
Growth and Development
Tactic: Introductory Ride
•
Develop Mission Plan
–
Use best glider & smoothest pilot
–
Short ride in calm air – really!
–
Then, 2nd
ride in soaring condition
•
Talk about what gliders can do
•
Talk about your XC flights

21.
 SSA is putting serious
money into promotion
 Please help us grow
Growth and Development
Requires a partnership